The San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan won four championships to Bryant's five throughout their shared careers, but Bryant said while the Spurs might have qualified as a team rival to his Lakers, Duncan's individual rivalry came against Shaquille O'Neal as a fellow big man.

"He was never in my position," Bryant said. "He was more Shaq's rival than mine. As a team, the Spurs were always a team that we had to go through. So from that standpoint, yes, but in terms of personally, no. I've outgrown them all, from A.I. (Allen Iverson) when I first came in to (Tracy) McGrady to Vince Carter and so forth and so on."

OK, Bryant was asked, how about Dwyane Wade? After all, Wade plays shooting guard just as Bryant does, Wade has one Finals MVP trophy to Bryant's two, and Wade has to be close to as competitive as Bryant or else he wouldn't have given Bryant that hard foul across the face in the All-Star Game.

"He's too young," Bryant said. "He's too young. When I came into the league, he was in elementary school."

anybody that feels a way about this is just dumb, impossible for them to be rivals.

If they were rivals why would Pat Riley say to Wade he can be the "Kobe Bryant" for this team. They look up to Bean and he loves their games as well. Fans need to stop tryna great fake fiction between James, Wade and the "Great one" (wade's words)

He can't say Wade because every time they go head to head Wade gets the better of him. Of course Kobe is the greatest active basketball player in terms of all time achievements, but head to head Wade almost always dominates him individually. I'm not even talking numbers. I'm talking what I see with my own eyes when they defend each other.

He can't say Wade because every time they go head to head Wade gets the better of him. Of course Kobe is the greatest active basketball player in terms of all time achievements, but head to head Wade almost always dominates him individually. I'm not even talking numbers. I'm talking what I see with my own eyes when they defend each other.

He can't say Wade because every time they go head to head Wade gets the better of him. Of course Kobe is the greatest active basketball player in terms of all time achievements, but head to head Wade almost always dominates him individually. I'm not even talking numbers. I'm talking what I see with my own eyes when they defend each other.

Nothing I read here is false. They have to force comparisons and rivalries so casual fans pay attention since thats where they make their money. Kobe should feel disrespected to have these n*ggas compared to him. Its like in the 90s when Jordan was at his best they kept wanting to put people Reggie Miller, Clyde Drexler, Isiah Thomas, Grant Hill and a lot of other perimeter players in the convo with dude and that sh*t was flat out wrong.

They would come up with imaginary guys to say they could stop Jordan and Kobe so people watched that sh*t knowing these dudes were about to get their a.sses torched. It does make for good forum, water cooler and barbershop discussion though.

He's overrated because people like you call him a legend and compare him to Jordan. Yall n*ggas really think dude is one of the greatest to play this game. I don't see it.

Rob Horry got 7 dawg...Kobe been carried in the playoffs so many times. derek fisher with that crazy shot against the Spurs, Robert Horry getting the rock off a missed Kobe game winner against Sacrament. Gasol tipping a shot in against the Thunder. Artest burying the Celtics or catching a Kobe airball and putting it back in a game the Lakers had to have against Phoenix. Shaq getting all those finals MVPs...Derek Fisher burying the Magic. Whenever he had to carry his team he failed, repeatedly. Even when he was up 3-1 in a series...this n*gga just flat out lucky bruh

Rings are not the end all be all, but you Kobe d!ck riders love talking about it...we all seen how at every clutch moment you turn to, one of Kobe's teammate is cleaning up his mistakes. Who else has had that luxury besides his bi*ch a.ss?